Because Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are inextricably linked, whether they like it or not, whenever something happens to one, the news media wants to know the opinion of the other. Over on The Times of India, Damon finally spoke to Affleck’s casting as Baan, and he was absolutely supportive.

“I think it will be great. It will be terrific. I know there are a lot of people grousing on the internet. I just think it’s kind of funny. You know, he’s not playing King Lear. It’s Batman! Certainly within his skill set. If anybody saw Argo or The Town, and all the work he’s been doing lately, it’s way more nuanced and interesting and way more difficult than Batman! Batman just sits there with his cowl over his head and whispers in a kinda gruff voice at people. Bruce Wayne is the more challenging part of the role, and Ben will be great at that.”

That was a fun, backhanded compliment, wasn’t it? It’s just a silly superhero character, y’all! It’s not like it’s King Lear, which would actually be challenging for Affleck? But not Batman! He just has to sit there and growl. ANYBODY CAN DO THAT.

He’s not wrong. He’s also not wrong that Affleck would make a great Bruce Wayne. Didn’t you see him in The Boiler Room?

As for whether Damon will play Robin to Affleck’s Batman, well, see, that’s just silly.

But as perfect — and obvious — as it would be for Damon to then play Robin to Ben’s Batman, the actor laughs it off. “I am a little older than Ben. I never saw Robin as older than Batman. Somebody sent me a picture actually [of his face photoshopped on Robin’s body and Ben’s on Batman’s]. It was really funny. But it’s safe to say I won’t be Robin.”

Here’s my question: In the Man of Steel sequel, who gets top billing? Henry Cavill or Ben Affleck?

If you’re curious, Matt Damon — who is India supporting Elysium — also loves Indian food.

“I’ve been eating nothing but Indian food since I landed. I love it! That’s kind of a luxury for me, eating all the local food,” he says. As he struggles to pronounce the names of dishes, he declared, “I just love anything that’s curried. I love spice too. I like it a bit hot.”

I saw 'Boiler Room' in the theaters when I was 23 and I thought Ben Affleck's character was the coolest part of that movie. Having just rewatched that scene now when I'm 36, all I can think of is what an enormous pile of bullshit that speech is.

e jerry powell

I'm having Matt Damon for dinner. My curries are positively divine.

Mrcreosote

Yes of course Affleck can do Batman, because he's not nearly as complex as a generic Southie thug. After all what interesting thing(s) have ever happened in Batman/Bruce Wayne's life that you'd have to incorporate that could compare to jacking a few cars, some minor B & E and a little bit of domestic violence. Holy crap was the Town overrated.

Damon's over-simplifying what an actor has to do as Batman. And I think that's because Christian Bale was so good. No one besides Keaton came close to capturing the Batman he describes. Clooney and Kilmer's Batman was indistinguishable from their Bruce Wayne. Keaton had a good demeanor but was physically not as good as Bale. So Damon's basically acknowledging that Bale was so effortless that he made it look easy. I'd probably agree Bruce is tougher to play when you separate them out. But you have to do them both and that's a challenge only Bale has done consistently at a high level.

BendinIntheWind

"I love spice too. I like it a bit hot."

I bet you do, Matt Damon. Now report to my bunk.

Maddy

I wouldn't mind him directing it, I have just never found him that believable as an actor. But I've decided to stop caring about the casting of an actor in a movie that I don't have to watch

$65530708

I really don't care anymore, can we just agree to stop talking about Batfleck until 2015?

psemophile

He isn't here for Elysium PR. It won't release here for a fucking month.He's here to check on slums that his organization provided funds for drainage and sanitation improvements and I know this is a movie site, but these slum dwellers live in subhuman conditions and it's really good of him to do this. He didn't even talk about movies or anything until he was egged on by Times Of India, a paper that wants to get itself on the news more than report news. He must have talked about his cause and everything but that won't bring viewers to the site. All this talk distracts from the main issue here and thank god I don't get Times of India anymore.

io

He is an amazing human being. And I'm not being facetious, I'm dead serious.

BWeaves

Thank you for that information!

Al Borland's Beard

"Batman just sits there with his cowl over his head and whispers in a kinda gruff voice at people."

If it's so easy, why did Adam West fuck it up so bad?

$65530708

Adam West was F*CKING AWESOME as Batman.

kirbyjay

Isn't the very nature of comic books come alive is that they are supposed to be ridiculous? Hence, Adam West, the one, the only, the true, BATMAN!!

Al Borland's Beard

I know he was. It was more of a comment on the idea that all Batmans must be Nolan's gruff, brooding version.

$65530708

Down vote removed.

AudioSuede

Holy haberdashery, Batman, that guy's a dick!

Helo

Damon's already shaved his head for Elysium (bears mentioning, haven't seen it yet, unlikely to open in my neck of the woods any time soon.)

Screw Robin, I think you could do a hell of a lot worse than casting Damon as Luthor. Capable actor, would bring an interesting dynamic to the proceedings.

Ben

It's allready Bryan Cranston

Helo

According to...?

Ben

Well Rolling Stone, Hollywood Life etc all reported it, but looking a bit deeper it appears they all got taken by some shoddy journalisim. So feel free to ignore me.

MrFroggie

My problem with Ben Affleck as Batman isn't that Affleck isn't a good actor. My problem is that I will never be able to watch the movie and think I'm looking at Bruce Wayne/Batman. I will be looking at Ben Affleck the actor playing him. I don't think he can "inhabit" the character and make me "forget" I'm watching a movie. If that makes any sense.

But all this nonsense about a petition to get him fired and that he's terrible because he did Daredevil ten years ago is crap.

I struggle to believe that Ben could muster the veiled menace and believably convey, in both Bruce Wayne and Batman, the sense that he could seriously fuck me up. As @Helo noted, he deserves the chance, but there is a body of work to suggest that it's not whether he's a strong enough actor, but whether his strengths and range meet the very specific and extreme aspects of the character. It's why Bale worked, 'cuz he could believably blow up and beat the shit out of someone. And not just could...

Helo

So far, I have no qualms about saying Affleck's affable guy persona can fit the public Bruce Wayne persona. The Bruce Wayne that Alfred knows and Batman persona, that's another topic... But, we'll find out soon enough.

The skepticism is warranted, I'm with you there.

(On another note, there's a few casting questions still unaddressed, even by the rumor mill. Who from Batman's supporting cast might be involved? Certainly, Alfred has to be cast...)

Helo

Co-signed, though I will say that Keaton did a decent job at shedding the baggage he brought to the cowl. I'm willing to afford Affleck the same chance.

Real_Irwin

In other news, Ben Affleck has been cast as King Lear.

BWeaves

Marry, here's grace and a cod-piece; that's a wise man and a fool.

foolsage

* appears in a puff of smoke *

* looks around *

* sighs, mutters about wrongful invocations, and disappears *

Captain D

Which daughter is Gwyneth Paltrow playing?

JJ

If Ben Affleck is King Lear then I'm the King of France!

Pitry

But then who's Matt Damon??

Kathleen Allen

Mr. Damon was unavailable for comment. A dodgy street vindaloo has been blamed.